Piston for a needleless valve system

ABSTRACT

A piston for a needleless valve system comprising a head portion configured to be disposed in the needleless valve system and controlling fluid flow through the needleless valve system. The head portion comprising a continuous top surface, and an opening disposed proximate the continuous top surface, wherein the continuous top surface is non-planar when the opening is in an open position.

This application is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 14/458,116,filed on Aug. 12, 2014, which is a Continuation of application Ser. No.13/355,037, filed on Jan. 20, 2012, U.S. Pat. No. 8,801,678. Thedisclosure of each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Needleless devices or connectors are utilized as an alternative tohypodermic needles. Needleless connectors are utilized as fluid portsfor a catheter attached to a patient. As a result of not using needles,needleless connectors reduce the risk of acquiring bloodborne diseases.

However, needleless connectors may contain surfaces and features thatare difficult to clean. For example, some needleless connectors includea “split septum” (e.g., slit, cut, pathway, etc.) on a top surface of apiston or valve plug. Typically, the split septum is unable to beproperly swabbed after use. Accordingly, pathogens may be present in theunsanitized areas which may lead to patient infection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a piston.

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a head portion of a piston.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate embodiments of a needleless valve system.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a method for flow control in aneedleless valve system.

The drawings referred to in this description should be understood as notbeing drawn to scale except if specifically noted.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the presenttechnology, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. While the technology will be described in conjunction withvarious embodiment(s), it will be understood that they are not intendedto limit the present technology to these embodiments. On the contrary,the present technology is intended to cover alternatives, modificationsand equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope ofthe various embodiments as defined by the appended claims.

Furthermore, in the following description of embodiments, numerousspecific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the present technology. However, the present technologymay be practiced without these specific details. In other instances,well known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not beendescribed in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of thepresent embodiments.

FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of piston 100 which is configured to bedisposed in a needleless valve system. The structure and function of theneedleless valve system will be described in detail further below.

Piston 100 includes head portion 110 and base portion 150. In variousembodiments, base portion 150 can be any physical structure thatfacilitates in head portion 110 controlling the flow of fluid throughthe needleless valve system. As such, base portion 150 is genericallydepicted as a simple square with dotted lines. Accordingly, the focus ofthe description herein will focus primarily on the structure andfunctionality of head portion 110 with respect to a needleless valvesystem.

Head portion 110 includes continuous top surface 120, opening 130 andcompression features 140 and 141.

Continuous top surface 120 is configured to seal a port of a housing,which will be described in detail below. Continuous top surface 120 doesnot include (or does not require) any broken portions. For example,continuous top surface 120 is a continuous feature that does not includea slit, cut, hole, etc.

Continuous top surface 120 is a smooth surface. Accordingly, whencontinuous top surface 120 is swabbed, pathogens are readily removed andcontinuous top surface 120 is properly sanitized.

Continuous top surface 120 is non-planar in the relaxed state of headportion 110. This is based, in part, on opening 130 being in a relaxedopen position, as depicted in FIG. 1. A relaxed state is understood asthe natural physical position of head portion 110 without any forcesapplied to head portion 110.

In one example, continuous top surface 120 includes non-planarconfiguration of a trough 122 in the relaxed state. It should beunderstood that the non-planar configuration can be any non-planarconfiguration that is conducive to allowing fluid flow around continuoustop surface 120. Examples of non-planar configurations can be, but arenot limited to, a concave surface, a valley, cavity, etc.

In one embodiment, head portion 110 is cylindrical. Thus, continuous topsurface 120 is circular.

Opening 130 is disposed proximate continuous top surface 120. Opening130 is in an open position when head portion 110 is in a relaxed state,as described above.

Opening 130 can be compressed to a closed position. For example, whenhead portion 110 is laterally compressed, then opening 130 is alsolaterally compressed to a closed position. In other words, the outersurface or walls of head portion is compressed inwards until opening 130is closed. As a result, continuous top surface 120 is deformed into aplanar surface.

Opening 130 can be any physical feature (e.g., hollow, void, channel,etc.) disposed in any orientation within head portion 110 and is able toresiliently open and close. Moreover, opening can be any shape thatfacilitates in allowing head portion 110 to deform such that continuoustop surface 120 is deformed into a planar surface. For example, shapesof opening 130 can be, but is not limited to elliptical, oval, diamond,circle, etc.

Opening 130 is enclosed within head portion 110. For example, theperiphery (or side surfaces) of opening 130 is fully enclosed withinhead portion 110.

In one embodiment, opening 130 is disposed along a diameter of headportion 110. In another embodiment, opening 130 is centrally disposedalong a center axis of head portion 110. In various embodiments, opening130 is disposed in any location that enables the deformation ofcontinuous top surface 120.

Compression features 140 and 141 are disposed on the periphery of headportion 110. Compression features 140 and 141 are configured tofacilitate in engaging with a housing such that opening 130 iscompressed in a closed position.

In one embodiment, compression features 140 and 141 are bulges. Itshould be understood that compression features can be any physicalfeatures that facilitates in the engaging of a housing such that opening130 is compressed in a close position.

FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment of spacer 232 disposed in opening 130.Spacer 232 is configured to facilitate in the resilient opening ofopening 130 from a closed position to an open position. Spacer 232 isdepicted in a relaxed or natural position. However, spacer 232 can befully compressed when opening 130 is in the closed position. It shouldbe understood that spacer 232 can be any resiliently compressiblematerial. Moreover, spacer 232 can be any shape disposed in anyorientation within opening 130 to facilitate in the resilient opening ofopening 130 from a closed position to an open position.

FIGS. 3 and 4 depict embodiments of needleless valve system 300. Ingeneral, needleless valve system 300 is configured to be coupled withmedical devices (e.g., a catheter) and convey fluid without the use of aneedle.

Needleless valve system 300 includes piston 100 disposed in housing 310.Housing 310 includes port 315, inner wall 320, and base 360.

Needleless valve system 300 is initially sealed, as depicted in FIG. 3.In particular, piston 100 is seated in housing 310 such that port 315 isfluidly sealed by head portion 110. Additionally, the outer diameter ofhead portion 110 is compressed and seated within inner wall 320 tocreate a seal.

Opening 130 is compressed in a close position which results incontinuous top surface 120 to be deformed into a planar surface. As aresult, port 315 is sealed by continuous top surface 120 because theperiphery of continuous top surface 120 mates with port 315.

In one embodiment, needleless valve system 300 is fluidly connected to acatheter. For example, female luer fitting 361 of base 360 is connectedto a catheter. Accordingly, fluid flow is able to flow to/from thecatheter.

FIG. 4 depicts needleless valve system 300 in an open position due totip 410 of a needleless syringe being inserted into needleless valvesystem 300. Tip 410 displaces head portion 110 downward along inner wall320. In one embodiment, housing 310 includes a male luer fitting 312that corresponds to a female luer fitting of the syringe.

The diameter of inner wall 320 increases in the downward direction.Accordingly, the diameter of head portion 110 also increases when movingin the downward direction. Thus, opening 130 subsequently expands intoits natural open position.

Moreover, continuous top surface 120 is deformed from planar tonon-planar to create trough 122. Therefore, fluid is able to flow aroundcontinuous top surface 120 via trough 122 to volume 330. The fluid thenflows from volume 330 through base 360 to a medical device, such as acatheter.

In one embodiment, fluid is able to flow in the opposite direction. Forexample, blood flows from a patient into volume 330 around continuoustop surface 120 via trough 122 and into the syringe.

In various embodiments, it should be appreciated that needleless valvesystem 300 can allow positive and/or negative fluid displacement.

Piston 100 is an elastic body. As such, piston 100 is able to deformback to its original position such that head portion 110 is pushed upthrough inner wall 320. Accordingly, head portion is compressed againstinner wall 320 and port 315 is subsequently sealed.

In particular, base portion 350 acts as a spring to facilitate inopening 130 deforming to a closed position and head portion 110resealing port 315. For example, base portion 350 includes a tail thatresiliently deforms to its original position in response to tip 410being removed from housing 310. The spring force of base portion 350causes head portion 110 to move upward within inner wall 320 and headportion 110 is compressed within inner wall 320. As a result, opening310 is deformed into a closed position and continuous top surface 120 isdeformed into a planar surface. Moreover, the spring force of thediaphragm 355 also causes head portion 110 to move in and be compressedwithin inner wall 320.

Additionally, compression features 140 and 141 (e.g., bulges) enhancethe compression of head portion 110 within housing 310. Compressionfeatures 140 and 141 increase the diameter of head portion 110 and thus,increase the forces applied on head portion 110 to close opening 130.

It should be appreciated that base portion 350 can include any elasticfeature for generating a spring force to translate head portion 110within inner wall 320 such that port 315 is resealed.

In various embodiments, a base portion (e.g., base portion 150 or baseportion 350) can include any combination of a tale and/or a diaphragm.In one embodiment, a base portion does not include a tale and/or adiaphragm.

Oftentimes pathogens may be present on or around continuous top surface120 after tip 410 of the syringe is removed from needleless valve system300. However, the pathogens are easily swabbed away from the smoothcontinuous top surface. Therefore, the risk of patient infection isreduced.

FIG. 5 depicts an embodiment of a method 500 for controlling fluid flow.In some embodiments, method 500 is performed at least by needlelessvalve system 300, as depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4.

At 510 of method 500, a port of a housing is sealed with a continuoustop surface. The continuous top surface is planar when the port issealed, and a channel disposed proximate continuous top surface iscompressed in a closed position. For example, port 315 is fluidly sealedwith continuous top surface 120 when continuous top surface 120 isplanar. Moreover, opening 130 (e.g. a channel) is disposed proximatecontinuous top surface 120 and is collapsed or compressed.

At 520, the continuous top surface is depressed by a needleless device.For example, continuous top surface 120 is depressed down throughhousing 310 by tip 410 of a needleless syringe.

At 530, the channel is opened such that the continuous top surface isnon-planar. For example, when head portion 110 slides down throughhousing 310, opening 130 expands to a natural open position.

At 540, in response to the opening the channel, fluid is allowed to flowaround the non-planar continuous top surface. For example, opening 130expands to a natural open position which causes continuous top surface120 to bend or fold to create trough 122. As a result, fluid is allowedto flow around non-planar continuous top surface 120 through housing310.

At 550, fluid is injected through the port via the needleless device.For example, medicine is injected through port 315 via a fluid channelof tip 410 of a needleless syringe.

At 560, the port is resealed with the continuous top surface in responseto removing the needleless device from the port. For example, tip 410 isremoved from housing 310. In response, as head portion 110 is compressedwithin inner wall 320, opening 130 is compressed to a closed positionand continuous top surface 120 is deformed to a planar state and thus,port 315 is fluidly sealed.

Various embodiments of the present invention are thus described. Whilethe present invention has been described in particular embodiments, itshould be appreciated that the present invention should not be construedas limited by such embodiments, but rather construed according to thefollowing claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A needleless valve system comprising: ahousing comprising a fluid port, and a piston comprising a base portionand a head portion, the head portion having a continuous top surface andcompression features disposed on a periphery of head portion; whereinthe piston is disposed in the housing, the compression features areseparated to form an opening between the compression features when thehead portion is in a relaxed state, and the compression features arepressed together to close the opening when the head portion is not in arelaxed state.
 2. The needleless valve system of claim 1, wherein thecompression features are disposed along a circumference of the headportion.
 3. The needleless valve system of claim 1, wherein thecompression features comprises a bulge.
 4. The needleless valve systemof claim 1, wherein the opening is enclosed within head portion.
 5. Theneedleless valve system of claim 1, wherein the opening is centrallydisposed along a center axis of the head portion.
 6. The needlelessvalve system of claim 1, wherein the opening passes through the headportion.
 7. The needleless valve system of claim 1, wherein the openingcomprises any of an elliptical, an oval, or a diamond shape.
 8. Theneedleless valve system of claim 1, further comprising a spacer disposedin the opening.
 9. The needleless valve system of claim 8, wherein thespacer comprises a resiliently compressible material.
 10. The needlelessvalve system of claim 1, wherein the top surface is non-planar when thehead portion is in a relaxed state, and the top surface is substantiallyplanar when the compression features are pressed together to close theopening.
 11. A needleless valve system comprising: a housing comprisinga fluid port, a piston, disposed in the housing, comprising a baseportion and a head portion, the head portion having a continuous topsurface, compression features disposed on a periphery of head portion,and an opening between the compression features when the head portion isin a relaxed state; wherein the compression features are separated toform the opening when the head portion is in a relaxed state and doesnot extend into the fluid port, and the compression features are pressedtogether to close the opening when the head portion extends into thefluid port.
 12. The needleless valve system of claim 11, wherein thefluid port is fluidly sealed when the compression features are pressedtogether.
 13. The needleless valve system of claim 11, wherein aperiphery of continuous top surface engages against the fluid port whenthe compression features are pressed together.
 14. The needleless valvesystem of claim 11, wherein the compression features are disposed alonga circumference of the head portion.
 15. The needleless valve system ofclaim 11, wherein the compression features comprises a bulge.
 16. Theneedleless valve system of claim 11, wherein the opening is enclosedwithin head portion.
 17. The needleless valve system of claim 11,wherein the opening comprises any of an elliptical, an oval, or adiamond shape.
 18. The needleless valve system of claim 11, furthercomprising a spacer disposed in the opening.
 19. The needleless valvesystem of claim 18, wherein the spacer is compressed when opening isclosed.
 20. The needleless valve system of claim 18, wherein the spacercomprises a resiliently compressible material.